DSCC Qualifies General Semiconductor Products; Company Named First Non-Military Supplier of Discrete Semiconductors to Department of Defense

Business Wire, June 29, 2000

Business Editors

MELVILLE, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 29, 2000

General Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE:SEM), a leading manufacturer of discrete semiconductors, has received Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML) by the Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC), Defense Logistics Agency of the United States Department of Defense. The qualification of General Semiconductor marks the first time that the Agency has added a "traditionally non-military" company to its MIL-PRF-19500 program.

The Company received the qualification as a result of successful testing to Performance Specification MIL-PRF-19500M, Semiconductor Devices, FSC 5961, and performance specification /427G and is extended to the devices covered by performance specification /669. After years of change and working with the DSCC, General Semiconductor's products JAN-1N5614EG1 through 1N5622EG1 and JAN-1N6804UEG2 (a surface mount package with strain relief) through 1N6810UEG2, under the QML appendix, can accept the high volume lines of the Company.

"We are very pleased to be the first non-military company to have been granted qualification by the DSCC for glass passivated axial and surface mount rectifiers for use in space and military applications," stated Ronald A. Ostertag, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Semiconductor. "It is further evidence of the high quality standards that we maintain and explains the loyalty of our customers."

General Semiconductor, Inc. is a market leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of discrete semiconductor components. The Company provides customers with a broad array of power management products including rectifiers, transient voltage suppressors, small signal transistors, diodes and MOSFETs. Its global customer base includes original equipment manufacturers, electronic distributors and contract equipment manufacturers. Key markets for its products include automotive, computers, consumer and telecommunications equipment.

The information set forth above includes "forward-looking" information and, accordingly, the cautionary statements contained in Exhibit 99 to the Company's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission are incorporated herein by reference. General Semiconductor's actual results could differ materially from the "forward-looking" information in this press release.

Visit General Semiconductor on the web at www.gensemi.com